California Hot Rod Reunion

October 14-17, 2010

Other results pages: , (Gassers A/Fuel, Jr. Fuel) and (Sportsman), (Press releases), (Photo Extra)

Top Fuel and Nitro Funny Car Results

Photos by Bob Snyder

Oct. 17, 2010

Semi Finals

Semi Finals Funny Car.....Mark Hentges takes on Steven Densham and this one was not as pretty as the previous two rounds. Densham got real loose and had to fight it off the wall, but the dust was flying,

he pedalled it to a respectable 6.168/171while Hentges struggled like he did in round one. His 6.092/218.65 was just enough to get the win and a trip to his biggest final round in an NFC.

 

Leah Pruett faced Canuck Claude Lavoie and Lavoie lost a tenth from the prior rounds (6.036/202.23) and that was all the Plueger tuned Mustang needed to advance to the final with a great 5.823/241.41

She clinched the Heritage series championship the round before and now all she has to do it get it done against the Bucky Austin Arrow in the final. This one will be good. Both car owners ran together as team mates up until this year, and both will want bragging rights for the next five months.

 

 

Semi finals of Top Fuel....

.......Jim Murphy faced Adam Sorokin and this one should have be the final round, as the winner of the race would be the 2010 Top Fuel Heritage champion.

Young gun vs cagey veteran and the win goes to... the young stud. Wow, a great career best 5.62/252. Murphy was loose and troubled and he coasted to a 8.60/104

 

Brent Harris took a few runs to sort out the Posse's Top Fuel car and they could not get it done during qualifying. They are thanking their lucky stars there weren't more than 16 cars for the event. Brent goes 5.77/250 and got the easy win over a troubled Rick McGee who could only muster up a 6.88/132.

Harris vs Sorokin in the final. It should be good!

 

Round two

Round two Funny Car....

.....Right lane. Hentges, A slow first round win in round one as the Bucky car laboured all the way down track.
Left. Krabill, was solid in round one running another 5.80

Man did Hentges (5.79/242 ) need the Austin HP, as the ex TAD driver was late on the tree. Krabill goes .055 at the tree and lead for the first 1000 feet, but his 5.92/235 fell .03 short at the finish line.

 

Left lane. Halstead
Right Lane. Pruett 5.891/237 the lady gets the win and she is the 2010 Heritage champion.

Right. Densham 5.84/239 a win for the kid, he is looking for a bit of history, as he is competing this year as a rookie.
Left. Romine 6.34/170 fell way off the pace, a bit of a surprise.

Right. Boychuk 5.780/249.Wow, this is a shock. The car is always one of the quickest every round. But he throws it away on a red light. .021 red. That one will sting.
Left. Lavoie 5.94/224. Another consistent 5.9 for Lavoie, and he is off to the semi finals.

Lavoie will face Pruett and Hentges will take on Densham in the semis

Round two Top Fuel...

.......Best round I have ever seen for side by side racing. Two races won on holeshots and ets within hundredths.

1st pairing. Left lane Rick McGee A 5.822/251 gets him win by the slimest of margins, what a great race. Margin of victory was .001.
Right lane Denver Schultz 5.835/246. Denver was right there, but the one once of extra HP was just enough to get the win for McGee.

Second Pairing.

Left Thompson 5.829/252 great race side by side ets Sorokin had a tenth at the tree for the win
Right Sorokin 5.816/251. A big holeshot and 1/100th performance was more than enough for the second place in the standings driver Sorokin.

 

Third Pairing.

Left Harris 5.80 /247.66 solid run for both again. The Sherriff hp comes through
Right Williamson 5.92 237.84. Williamson was second off the tree and could only watch as the Jr. Sheriff extended his lead.

 

Fourth Pairing.

Left Murphy 5.842/229 win by .007
Right Green 5.846/ 264. Wow, what a great race, Murphy had .003 at the tree and stayed just out in front, for the SECOND closest finish in round two. What a round!! Possibly the best eight car pairing (¼ final) I have ever witnessed

In the semis, Murphy gets Sorokin and Harris is up against McGee.

 

Oct 16, 2010

(Snyder and Wilson photos)

Round one eliminations Funny Car

Round one
Right Dale Van Gundy in for Thompson 6.03/232
Left. Kris Krabill 5.88/245 Krabill wins this wire to wire, as he leaves first and shows why he is the winningest driver at the CHHR.

Left. Sanders 6.45/159 had the lead but went out of the groove and he hit the cones
Right Boychuk 5.83/246

Hentges Left lane. 6.29/211 very soft on the run as it looked like he left in second gear.
Swearingen Right lane the Cowboy struggled right at the hit and could only watch Hentges get an easy win despite the slow run

Right lane: Leah Pruett LeDuc 6.086/236 a real close race with Leduc getting the win. She left first and won by a car length. She still leads the points, ahead of Boychuk who is also into round two.
Left lane Dwayne Patton 6.096/

Right Lane Steven Densham 5.83/236 Continues the strong laps and will advance to round two.
Left Lane Mike Smith smoked the tires at half track.

Right Lane Claude Lavoie 5.887/235 Claude leaves first and gets the win over the #2 qualifier.
Left Lane Jason Rupert 5.970/250.00 first 250 mph pass.

Lee Paul Jennings Car would not start
Left Mike Halstead 5.90/245.16 solid run for the Bomb Squad

Left Paul Romine 5.853/237. Was real close to half track then Crawford's car fell off the pace and started smoking on the top end.
Right Josh Crawford 6.098/232. A great launch but he got a little loose allowing Romine to drive by.

Round one Top Fuel

Brent Harris 5.73/257 Harris get the ducks in a row and lays down low et and top mph of the weekend
Harris had, a single as Rick White could not make the call.

Mike McLennan 6.980
Brad Thompson 5.710/247. Spoke too soon as THompson gets low et and eats a bunch of aliminum to get the win over Mike McLennan.

Adam Sorokin 5.892/253 Adam keeps pace in trying to win the title this year. He takes out the Ozzie Keith Burgin
Keith Burgin 6.29/216 mph (Burgin goes a career best in the loss)

Rick McGee 5.799/243.90 Rick McGee also lays down a great 5.7 to advance to round two.
Rich Rogers auto club lane 20 seconds. Rogers had an ugly one as he had an oil or fuel line or engine issue as he had fluid blow into the cockpit and he coasted down track. It was a long clean up.

James Day broke on the starting line
Denver Schutz 5.887/240 Schultz advances when James Day idled down track.

 

Brendon Murray 6.43/177
Rick Williamson 5.92/253 WIlliamson is also a winner as he takes out Brendan Murray.

Troy Green 5.95 /229 wins on a huge holeshot
Bill Dunlap 5.87 / 244. Dunlap throws away a solid run.

 

Jim Murphy Single 5.761/237 mph

 

Nitro Funny Car

Round two final qualifying (pair by pair)

left. Mike Smith Brand x 5.90 Did not get in a run Friday, so this is an off the trailer 5.90
right. Silver corvette 6.06

left. Roger Garten 6.050 good run but it will not be good enough to stay in the field.
right. Clint Thompson 5.87/244 Was late leaving the starting line and the other car took out a cone, so I hope his run counts.

left. Leah Pruett 5.88/236 as per usual, the Plueger tuned 'Stang gets in the field.
right. Ronnie Young 9.18/93 still struggling

left. Ed Dougan shook and swapped lanes
right. Eric Wallinder 10.14 smoked the tires

right. Jeff Bennett 6.60
left. Jack Harris smoked the tires at 30 feet

right. Tom Padilla 6.36 blew up on the top end and lit it on fire
left. Tim Nemeth. 5.968/242 solid run after the run he is #11

 

right. Mark Hengtes 5.78/248 wow a great run for Hentges and Austin
left. Dennis Lacharite 6.11/241 not a bad run but not enough

right. Dale Van Gundy 5.956/230 best run ever for the ex TAFC team
left. Steve Rajcic smoked the tires and shook and got near the wall forcing Steve to lift

right. Mike Adams shook the tires
left. Dwayne Patton 5.86/236 career best by a bunch

left. Mike Savage 6.00 good run but no improvement
right. Jon Capp 6.051/240 consistent runs but not enough horsepower

right. Josh Crawford… the other Max 5.93/237 solid run
left. Nate Bugg.. Lil Nate in the BDS Blowers car 6.728

right. Dale Pulde 6.025, a good run, but he just fails to make the field
left. Claude Lavoie 5.945. Great run for Lavoie and he gets into the middle of the field, put Tim Nemeth on the bump.

Left. Shawn Nault 6.75 Made it from a to b but not enough snot in the tank.
Right. Paul Romine 5.848/ 243 Romine is consistent in the 80's and moves up to #2.

Left. Bob Godfrey 6.256 another good run but there are so many good cars that many good teams are going home.
Right. John Hale 6.009/249 great run but guess what, he is #17.

Right. Todd Lesenko 5.986/243.50 wow a great run by Lesenko but he does not paly on Sunday
Left. Mike Halstead 5.938/242, And Halstead puts out the Canadian Nemeth with a great 5.93.

Right. Tim Boychuk 5.887 249.89 side by side 5.88's big speed, 249 almost 250
Left. Chris Krabill 5.885 great race was ahead of Boychuk at the stripe

Left. Mark Sanders 5.87/244 they had to go for it and Jake comes through with a clutch 5.80 pass.
Right. Lee Paul Jennings 5.835/239. Jennings moves to #2 with a 5.83

Left. Dennis Swearingen smoked the tires trying to get off the bump and the California team blazed the tires.
Right. Jason Rupert 5.809/245.96 rips off another great lap his second career lap in a row, almost a 5.70 but just a few thou off.

Right. Steven Densham the final driver and Steven is looking for a '70, and 5.934/232 comes up on the scoreboard.
That wraps up final qualifying for the floppers and a great quickest ever bump. A 5.956

Final order

1 - Mark Hentges - 5.78/248
2 - Jason Rupert - 5.809/245
3 - Lee Paul Jennings - 5.835/244.23
4 - Paul Romine - 5.848 /243.17
5 - Steven Densham 5.855/235.97
6 - Dwayne Patton - 5.868/236.71
7 - Mark Sanders - 5.871/244.49
8 - Clint Thompson -5.873/244.36
9 - Kris Krabill - 5.885/243.50
10 - Tim Boychuk 5.887/244.89
11 - Leah Pruett-Leduc -5.887/236.84
12 - Mike Smith 5.900/240.32
13 - Josh Crawford - 5.933/237.46
14 - Mike Halstead - 5.938/242.84
15 - Claude Lavoie - 5.945/238.22
16 - Dennis Swearingen 5.955/240.77

17 - Dale Van Gundy - 5.956/230.82
18 - Tim Nemeth - 5.968/242.91
19 - Todd Losenko - 5.986/243.50
20 - Mike Savage - 6.006/236.15
21 - John Hale - 6.009/244.96
22 - Dale Pulde - 6.025/222.44
23 - John Capps - 6.051
37 - Roger Garten 6.05 (was disqualified)
24 Mike Peasley 6.066/213.47
25 Bob Godfrey 6.091/225.62
26 - Dennis LaCharite - 6.110/241.15
27 - Mike Adams - 6.152/232.13
28 - Tom Padilla 6.346/230.12
29 - Nate Bugg 6.389/219.13
30 - Steve Rajcic 6.461/221.13
31 - Chris Bennett 6.521/207.08
32 - Shawn Nault 6.641/224.66
33 - Eric Wallinder 6.671/195.07
34 - Ronnie Young 6.757/152.85
35 - Jack Harris 9.745/00.83
36 - Ed Dougan 15.246/58.83

 

Top Fuel

Final qualifying Top Fuel

run #1

run #2

1 - Jim Murphy - 5.801 - 230.35 2 - Rick White - 5.817 - 254.16 3 - Brad Thompson - 5.861 - 251.74 5.85/204 4 - Rick McGee - 5.895 - 224.32 5 - Denver Schutz - 5.926 - 226.01 6 - Adam Sorokin - 6.020 - 212.86 5.83 7 - Rick Williamson - 6.039 - 202.52 5.95 8 - Brendan Murray - 6.079 - 230.94 6/06 9 - Rick Rogers - 6.351 - 221.23 7.23 lifted early 10 - Mike McLennan - 6.364 - 190.92 6.18 11 - Keith Burgan - 6.419 - 207.46 6.32 12 - John Weaver - 6.832 - 186.95 13 - Troy Green - 7.750 - 99.65 5.95 14 - Bill Dunlap - 10.718 - 84.45 5.95 15 - James Day - NTR - 250.62 16 - Brett Harris - NTR - 180.07 6.46 chutes out

5.88/234 6.96 smoked the tires 5.857/204 5.823/224 missed the time 5.835/239 5.954/242 6/06 7.23 lifted early 6.182 6.318/214 5.95 5.991/202 5.959/211 6.06/202 6.46 chutes out

Final Order

1 - Jim Murphy - 5.801 - 230.35
2 - Rick White - 5.817 - 254.16
3 - Rick McGee - 5.823 - 224.88
4 - Adam Sorokin - 5.835/239
5 - Brad Thompson - 5.861 - 251.74 5.85/204
6 - Denver Schutz - 5.926 - 226.01
7 - Rick Williamson - 5.954/242
8 - Bill Dunlap - 5.959/211
9 - Troy Green - 5.991/202
10 - Brendan Murray - 6.065 - 230.94
11 - James Day - NTR - 6.068/250.62
12 - Mike McLennan - 6.182/211
13 - Keith Burgan - 6.318 - 214
14 - Rick Rogers - 6.351 - 221.23
15 - Brett Harris - NTR - 6.461 /187
16 - John Weaver - dq'ed crossed centre line

Oct 15, 2010

3:30 PM UPDATE (Friday round one qualifying)

We're through the first round of qualifying in Funny Car and Top Fuel and we've seen some great performances, one crash and a few different versions of the "Top-End Watusi". Leah Pruett-Leduc even threw in a backfired blower on the burnout for good measure. With a reported 40 or 41 cars pre-entered, I was a little disappointed to only see 35 cars attempt to make a pass.

The 16 car field - no second chance "B" field - just 16 cars and two shots to make the show, showed how tough it was going to be as the bump spot kept dropping from the 6.50's, to .40's, then a big jump down to 6.15 and finally stopped at 6.091, with the first alternate, Dale Pulde (yes, THAT Dale Pulde) one spot below the bump at 6.092. Last chance is tomorrow afternoon, then they're into the first round of eliminations in the late afternoon.

As the floppers lined up for their 1:00 session, the temperature guns registered "only" 115 degrees at the starting line while the air temp was tickling 90 and still climbing. The only clouds in the sky are far off in the distance and hardly threatening. First in the lanes is the Canadian car of Chilliwack BC's Tim Nemeth. And here we go into the results:

Funny Car Qualifying - Session 1

1 - Steven Densham - 5.855 - 235.97
2 - Paul Romine - 5.868 - 231.42
3 - Jason Rupert - 5.886 - 234.98

4 - Lee Paul Jennings - 5.929 - 244.23
5 - Tim Boychuk - 5.953 - 242.98
6 - Dennis Swearingen - 5.955 - 240.77

7 - Kris Krabill - 5.964 - 244.96

8 - Mark Sanders - 6.004 - 237.34

9 - Claude Lavoie - 6.009 - 239.23
10 - Mark Hentges - 6.016 - 239.42
11 - John Hale - 6.030 - 239.04
12 - Mike Halstead - 6.041 - 238.98
13 - John Capps - 6.051 - 240.64
14 - Josh Crawford - 6.061 - 239.55
15 - Tim Nemeth - 6.063 - 242.71

16 - Bob Godfrey - 6.091 - 225.62

Funny Car Non-Qualifiers - Session 1

17 - Dale Pulde - 6.092 - 229.18
18 - Dale Van Gundy - 6.099 - 225.45
19 - Dwayne Patton - 6.101 - 231.42
20 - Mike Adams - 6.152 - 232.13
21 - Todd Losenko - 6.214 - 234.25
22 - Mike Savage - 6.280 - 227.90
23 - Tom Padilla - 6.346 - 230.12
24 - Nathan Bugg - 6.389 - 219.13
25 - Dennis LaCharite - 6.420 - 205.71

26 - Steve Rajcic - 6.461 - 221.13
27 - Chris Bennett - 6.521 - 207.08
28 - Shawn Nault - 6.641 - 224.66
29 - Erik Wallinder - 6.671 - 195.05
30 - Mike Halstead - 6.757 - 152.85
31 - Jack Harris - 11.979 - 76.77
32 - Ed Dougan - 15.246 - 58.83
33 - Clint Thompson - DNQ
34 - Leah Pruett-Leduc - DNQ

35 - some grey 'Vette that couldn't latch the body - DNQ

There were some great and a few not-so-great performances in that round of qualifying, but with only one more shot tomorrow, the non-qualifiers are going to have to seriously step up their combinations to get into the field for eliminations. Even though there's only seven cars in the 5's so far, I'm betting on an all-5-second field after tomorrow's final round of qualifying. Stay tuned to find out.

Top Fuel

In Top Fuel qualifying, only 16 cars made a lap (of the 21 pre-entries) and Jim Murphy came out on top of that group, with a 5.80-flat to take the provisional pole. The major incident of the round was a nasty crash of the "Blair's Fugowie" car, driven by John Weaver,

as it crossed the track after the finish line and ran almost headfirst into the right side guardwall. Weaver was out of the car quickly after the incident and reported to be A-OK but the car obviously was much the worse for wear. Another casualty of the crash was the remotely operated Nikon D-700 with a 400mm lens (about $7 - $8000 of gear) that was found in three pieces and missing the compact flash card with what could be some amazing images that are now lost.

Through the miracle of.... walking up the stairs and asking for them, I've got the Top Fuel qualifying results in hand. By the way, the announced (over the PA - and he was wrong as often as he was right) 8-car field seems to have morphed into a full 16-car deal, as there's 16 cars on the list and none are listed as non-qualifiers, even though two cars didn't receive a valid e.t. Here's the list:

Top Fuel Qualifying - Session 1

1 - Jim Murphy - 5.801 - 230.35
2 - Rick White - 5.817 - 254.16
3 - Brad Thompson - 5.861 - 251.74

4 - Rick McGee - 5.895 - 224.32
5 - Denver Schutz - 5.926 - 226.01
6 - Adam Sorokin - 6.020 - 212.86

7 - Rick Williamson - 6.039 - 202.52
8 - Brendan Murray - 6.079 - 230.94
9 - Rick Rogers - 6.351 - 221.23
10 - Mike McLennan - 6.364 - 190.92
11 - Keith Burgan - 6.419 - 207.46
12 - John Weaver - 6.832 - 186.95
13 - Troy Green - 7.750 - 99.65

14 - Bill Dunlap - 10.718 - 84.45
15 - James Day - NTR - 250.62
16 - Brett Harris - NTR - 180.07

And that's pretty much a wrap on qualifying, for the pro classes, on the first day of the 19th annual California Hot Rod Reunion from Auto Club Famoso Raceway in McFarland (okay, Bakersfield) California. See y'all again tomorrow for the final day of qualifying and the first round(s) of eliminations.

 

CHHR Preview

21 Top Fuelers and an unbelievable 40 Nitro Funny Cars are pre-entered.

This will be THE Vintage/Nostalgia show of the decade!

Here are the picks for the top "16" by Mark King AA?FC news and the Nostalgia Funny Car web site.

The Forecaster is taking a decidedly different twist than in the past. We are now going to forecast the 16 funny cars that we believe will qualify for the 19th California Hot Rod Reunion and the position that they will qualify in. We will also have a dark horse pick which will be placed in the number 16 qualifying position. We will also forecast the bump spot for the qualifying field along with low elapsed time and who will run it, top mile per hour and who will run it, and the event winner. As always this is for entertainment purposes only.


19th California Hot Rod Reunion Champion - Lee Paul Jennings "Code Red II"

Bump Spot - 5.889 Low Elapsed Time - 5.682 Top Speed - 260.66
Mike Adams Tim Boychuk Lee Paul Jennings

Qualifying Position Car Name Driver Name

1. "Troy Lee Designs" Firebird Tim Boychuk
2. "Man O' War" Mustang Paul Romine
3. "Pedaler" Arrow Kris Krabill
4. "Code Red II" Camaro Lee Paul Jennings
5. "Plueger & Gyger" Mustang Leah Pruett-LeDuc
6. "War Horse" Mustang Roger Garten
7. "LA Hooker" Arrow Steve Rajcic
8. "Bucky's Auto Service" Arrow Mark Hentges
9. "Blue Max" Mustang Josh Crawford
10. "Mr. Explosive" Nova Mark Sanders
11. "Back In Black" GTO Dennis LaCharite
12. "Sandman Special" Mini Satellite Claude LaVoie
13. "McCain's Bomb Squad" Duster Mike Halstead
14. "Fighting Irish" Camaro Ed Dougan
15. "Candies & Hughes" Barracuda Mike Savage
16. "Coors Corvette" Mike Adams

Here are SpeedZone Magazine picks for the 2010 reunion funny car field

Top 8 (not in order)

9-16 (not in order)

17-24

25-32

rest of the field

M. Hentges M. Sanders T. Boychuk L. Pruett S. Rajcic P. Romine L. Jennings K. Krabill

C. Lavoie J. Hale T. Nemeth J. Crawford S. Densham R, Garten M. Savage M. Halstead

Dennis Lacharite Todd Lesenko Jeff Bennett Dwayne Patton Ronnie Young Mike Adams Jason Rupert Dale Pulde

Nate Bugg Jim Adolph Tom Padilla Mendy Frey Sean Dale John Powers Ed Dougan Jack Harris

Bob Godfrey Steve Faria Brian Thiel Jack Wright Clint Thompson Dan Horan Jeff Utterback Dale Van Gundy Craig Micheal EricWallinder

Jay Mageau's picks for who will qualify

#1 Pruett Plueger-
- #2 Romine in the "itsamustang"
- #3 Plueger -LA Hooker
- #4 Timmy Boychuck
-#5 Josh Crawford
-#6 Jack Harris
- #7 Mark Hentges
# 8 Chris Krabill
-9 Lee Jennings
-10 Ronnie Young - Blue Max
-11 Ed Dougan
-12 John Hale
-13 Steven Densham
-14 Mr Expensive Mark Sanders
-15 Dale Pulde
-16 John Powers

 

Bobby Thunder's picks for the qualifiers in Funny Car

What are you looking at me for? I just got here, haven't even had a chance to see any of the cars and I really don't have a clue who's running hot or not. Okay, let's say that Bucky's car with Hentges in is definite top 8, Boychuk's cubic money will probably be number one, and Paul Romine will be in there too, with the Plueger & Gyger guys and/or girls (doesn't matter who's driving them - they always run well) will be near the top of the ladder.

Ask me again in a few hours and I'll have a better idea; and if you ask me after the first round of qualifying I might even be close to the mark. Stay tuned for all the news from the 'Patch.